Hey guys,

I'm considering getting a Dell Venue Pro 8 to use as a portable DAW/scratch pad. I currently use an IPad for that purpose and it's been great having it at my finger tips for whenever and wherever inspiration strikes me. However, it would be better if I had something that could run Sonar and some of my favorite VST's with me at all times. The Venue does run the full version of Windows 8.1, not the crippled, stripped down RT version. It's using the same version of Windows many of you are using now.

My question is, do you guys think the Venue Pro 8 ( or 11), could fit the bill? A laptop is out of the question and I can't spend any moe than $450. I'm not expecting the same performance I'd get from an i5 or i7. I just need it to get my music tracks going while I'm out and about. Maybe, on occasion, work up a full track as long as it's not too involved. Get it home then finish the song there on my desktop.

For the record, my home set up isn't all that great. I'm running X1 Expanded on XP using an old Dell XPS 400 with a Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of RAM. I'm thinking the tablet can't be much worse than that, can it?

Here are a couple of reviews of the tablet. What do you guys think? If not Sonar maybe Music Creator 6 Touch?
http://youtu.be/P0v77gSxLtI
http://youtu.be/jPPY4m8iY0k

Thanks for your time.

I've been thinking something similar.. I see there are no responses at the mo, but wondering what you went for in the end?

For nearly the same money I have a 3 year old Acer laptop with a dual-core i5, 4GB memory, and a 500GB HDD that will run Sonar and Studio One with ASIO.  It's fine for playback when I am out and about.  For a few tracks and plugins it is adequate, but the memory fills up fast if I start loading plugins with large samples.
 
I'm not sure a tablet style device would have enough disk storage and screen size to suit me.  I would rather make do with an inexpensive laptop.  The latest gen of devices like the Surface Pro would be much better suited, but they are not cheap! 
 
For everything else I still have my desktop! 

Mach13
I've been thinking something similar.. I see there are no responses at the mo, but wondering what you went for in the end?

I actually bought one. Tried it out, didn't like it and took it back. Screen was too small and just didn't give me the functionality I needed to create music on the go. I ended up getting staying with my iPad. Much, much better option for on the go music creation.

I have become impressed with the quantity and quality of music apps available for the iPad!  Never owned one, but would consider that before ever buying another Android tablet.  The community of users and developers seems to have found a critical mass with the iPad! 

samson7842
 Screen was too small and just didn't give me the functionality I needed to create music on the go.

Thanks samson7842
Like abacab, I have an i5 laptop too but it only just manages, and is a noisy, lumpy thing.   I was hoping to find a decent sized tablet with a windows os that would at least help with recording in different places.  Maybe something i could fix up on a stand with my audio interface.
 
It's just a muse or me but this where i'm at so far:   my laptop cpu benchmarks at around 3200, so I'd imagine I'd need a tab with a cpu at least in that vicinity.  The Dell Venue Pro 11 with an i5 cpu comes close, but the screen is small (as you say).
 
There are some surface pros on the secondhand market that come with i5's with a larger screen, but they are old.
I don't want to spend big money as its a "want not a need" (Like my guitars )
 
Ipad sounds interesting
 
Are you able to record with your Ipad?
If so is it via the device or can you plug an audio interface into it?
Also what grade/version of Ipad?
Does it take sonar or another DAW?

DAWs for iPad
http://ipadmusic.com/apps/daws-for-ipad/
 
Since iPad is an Apple iOS device, it will not run Windows apps.  Need to pick something that runs on iOS. 
 
>Edit: this article seems a bit more up to date than the previous one: http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/14-of-the-best-ipad-iphone-ios-daws-and-workspaces-574065
 
And here is a list of audio interfaces that are iPad compatible: https://www.gearank.com/guides/ipad-audio-interface

Thanks abacab,  food for thought

Looks like a few good options for round tripping projects from a mobile device to the desktop.
 
If you used Cubasis or FL Studio mobile, it looks like you can export directly to the desktop version of those programs.  If you have a Mac and Logic Pro, you could use the mobile version of Garage Band.
 
So there would be the additional cost of acquiring software in order to use the iPad, both the desktop and mobile versions to have file compatibility.  FL Studio would probably be the cheapest route, but then you would have to use FL Studio.   
 
Of course, if you were OK with just exporting audio or MIDI files to your desktop, you probably have more options that way.
 
But it seems that a fully capable mobile Windows device would the best way to use your existing DAW software and plugins on both platforms with no issues of exchanging project files.
 
Maybe a Surface Pro type setup would not be as big an investment after all, if you factored in the software you already had, vs. what you would need to use with an iPad?

Well I found a solution that works for me.  One important factor was to have a fanless unit so that I could have it by me without it adding noise to the room.  I found some reviews on ultrabook.com.
 
I went for a used Acer Aspire Switch SW5-271    for reasonable money.  With a 64Gb SSD 4Gb ram it runs win 10, has a nice big 12.5" HD screen and the cpu benchmarks in the 2900's (my laptop benchmarks in the low 3000's) and easily copes with Cakewalk's Sonar.  I've been able to use it to record multiple tracks and then save the whole project to a USB and import it onto my main rig without issue.  The touchscreen takes a bit of getting used to, but all in all i'm very pleased with it.
 
Be wary of Intel Atom cpu's, then benchkmark really low and i'm not sure they will cope.  FYI The unit I have is an Intel Broadwell Y Core M-5Y10c.